288 DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 



activity, which shall again develop, as a natural result, a reappear- 

 ance of the lameness. 



Treatment. — It is, of course, the consideration of the comparative 

 harmlessness of splints that suggests and justifies the policy of non- 

 interference, except as they become a positive cause of lameness. And 

 a more positive argument for such noninterference consists in the 

 fact that any active and irritating treatment may so excite the parts 

 as to bring about a renewed pathological activity, which may result 

 in a reduplication of the phenomena, with a second edition, if not a 

 second and enlarged volume, of the whole story. For our part, our 

 faith is firm in the impolicy of interference, and this faith is founded 

 on an experience of many years, during which our practice has been 

 that of abstention. 



Of course, there will be exceptional conditions which will at times 

 indicate a different course. These will become evident when the occa- 

 sions present themselves, and extraordinary forms and effects of 

 inflammation and growth in the tumors offer special indications. But 

 our conviction remains unshaken that surgical treatment of the oper- 

 ative kind is usually useless, if not dangerous. We have little faith 

 in the method of extirpation except under very special conditions, 

 among which that of diminutive size has been named, which seems in 

 itself to constitute a sufficient negative argument. But even in such 

 a case a resort to the knife or the gouge could scarcely find a justifi- 

 cation, since no operative procedure is ever without a degree of haz- 

 ard, to say nothing of the considerations which are always forcibly 

 negative in any question of the infliction of pain and the unnecessary 

 use of the knife. 



If an acute periostitis of the cannon bone has been readily discov- 

 ered, the treatment we have already suggested for that ailment is 

 at once indicated, and the astringent lotions may be relied upon to 

 bring about beneficial results. Sometimes, however, preference may 

 be given to a lotion possessing a somewhat different quality, the alter- 

 ative consisting of tincture of iodine applied to the inflamed spot 

 several times daily. If the lameness persists under this mild course 

 of treatment, it must, of course, be attacked by other methods, and we 

 must resort to the cantharides ointment or Spanish-fly blister, as we 

 have before recommended. Besides this, and producing an analogous 

 effect, the compounds of biniodide of mercury are favored by some. 

 It is prepared in the form of an ointment, consisting of 1 dram of the 

 biniodide to 1 ounce of either lard or vaseline. It forms an excellent 

 blistering and alterative application, and is of special advantage in 

 ■newly formed or recently discovered exostosis. 



It remains a pertinent query, however, and one which seems to be 

 easily answered, whether a tumor so diminutive in size that it can 

 only be detected by diligent search, and which is neither a disfigure- 



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